Folding brush.



No. 821,320. PATENTED MAY 22, 1906. M. H. TUPPER.

FOLDING BRUSH.

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WITNESSES INVENTUR No. 821,820. PATENTBD MAY 22, 1906. M. H. TUPPER.

FOLDING BRUSH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1905.

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, UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1906.

Application filed June '7, 1906. Serial No. 264,048.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MELBURN HORACE TUPPER, telegraph operator, residingat Buda, in the district of Algoma, Province of Ontario, Dominion ofCanada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- FoldingBrushes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding brushes; and the objectsof my invention are to devise an improved folding brush of the type inwhich the bristles are all secured in movable holders in such a mannerthat when the cover is removed from the brush the bristles may bebrought into the upright position and when the cover is placed on thebrush the bristles will be turned downwardly, further objects being toprovide means on the device for holding a comb and mirror, both of whichmay be used at the same time as the brush and to provide convenientmeans for removing the bristles during cleaning; and it consists,essentially, of a suitable framework or casing having a plurality ofbristles supporting cross-pieces ivotally held in the sides of theframe, a 1'0 located beneath said cross-pieces, means whereby saidcross-pieces will be caused to remain normally in a substantiallyhorizontal position and means whereby they may be turned and thebristles brought to a substantially vertical position by the operationof the above-mentioned rod, which acts substantially as a cam on theedge of the cross-pieces, the various parts of the device beingconstructed and arranged in detail, as hereinafter more particularlydescribed.

Figure 1 is a general perspective view of the brush. Fig. 2 is a detailof one of the bristle carriers or cross -pieces. Fig. 3 is across-section through the brush. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectionthrough the same. Fig. 5 is a side view of a slotted bar which may beused as an alternative means for receiving 7 the ends of the pivots.Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cover. Fig. 7 is a sectional viewthereof. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the frame, showing the locking-rod andspring Fig. 9 is a perspective detail of one of the cross-piecescarrying the bristles. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of analternative form of the cover. Fig. 1 1 is an alternative form oflocking-rod shown in lace in the frame. Fig. 12 is an end view of theframe, showing'the end of this form of locking-rod protruding therefrom.Fig. 13 is a second alternative form of locking-rod. Fig. 14 is aperspective view of the main body of the brush with the alternative formof rod as shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 1s a transverse section through thedevice shown in Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is a longitudinal section through thesame. Fig. 17 is a side view of the inside of the said device, a portionthereof being broken away to show the device for removably securing thebristle-carrying crosspieces in place. Fig. 18 is a section through thesame. Fig. 19 is a plan of the bar 2, on which the pivotal rods on theends of the cross-pieces rest. Fig. 20 is a perspective view of thevertically-slotted bar 3.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in each figure.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, a is the frame or body of thedevice, which is made,

preferably, of light sheet metal bent to form the double sidesb b. 0represents cross-pieces having bristles d suitably secured thereon. Eachof these cross-pieces is adapted to be pivotally sup orted by the innerside walls of the body of tli the bristles are capable of all turningdownwardly when the cover is placed on the device and of being returnedto their upright position when the cover is removed. To accomplish thisend, I provide a pivotal support 6 for the cross-pieces, which extendsinto suitable bearings formed in the side walls. These bearings may beformed simply by making properly-placed holes in the side walls; but thedevice which I find preferable is as follows: Slots f are cut in theside walls, and through these slots the pintles or rods 6 extend to theinterior of the hollow side wall. A bar 2 slides in the space in thehollow side walls, and the ends of the pintles e are adapt-' A pin orbutton 7 is secured, to the slidable bar 3 and extends through a slot 8in the side of the case, whereby the slotted bar 3 may be movedlongitudinally by means of the button. Under normal conditions theslotted bar 3 is in position as shown in Fig. 17, the

e device in such a manner that IIO slots thereof being approximatelymidway between the slots in the side walls, the bot tom of the barbetween the slots resting on top of the pintles e and serving to holdthem rotatably in position.

When it is desired to remove the bristles for any reason whatever, theslotted bar 3 is moved longitudinally until the slots in it come inalinement with those in the side walls, when the bristle-carryingcross-pieces may be lifted directly out of the bars. By this means thebristles may at any time be very readily removed and cleaned.

As an alternative means for retaining the cross-pieces rotatably inposition I may use the slotted bar 9, (shown in Fig.6 which is adaptedto slide in the space in the hollow side walls, and the slot h thereinis adapted to engage the ends of the pintles e and hold them rotatablyin position. It will thus be seen that the cross-pieces are capable ofturning on their pivoted ends, and I will now describe one of the meansfor causing this action to take place.

Referring first to Fig. 6, i is the cover,

g which is adapted to slide over the body of the brush and in doing sois adapted to force down the bristles into the substantially hori zontalposition. This cover, it may here be mentioned, contains or may containa mirror j, suitably secured therein, and a comb 7c in a recessconstructed in any suitable manner.

Referring to Fig. 9, the end of each crosspiece is provided with apeculiar cam-curve n, which engages the rod Z, (shown in Fig. 8,) andthis curve is of such a form that when the rod Z is moved from theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8 to that in full the bristleswill be raised to a vertical position and securely locked therein. Thismotion is caused to take place by a suitably-located spring 121. When itis desired to close the brush, the rod may be forced back into theposition shown in dotted lines and held there by the thumb while thecover is placed on the device, thereby forcing the bristles to remaindown. A handle 0 is provided and extends inwardly through the hollowside walls of the device beneath the bar 2. The inner ends of thishandle are turned upwardly, as shown at p, and when the handle is pulledthese upwardly-turned portions engage the shoulders q of the bars 2 toprevent the handle coming out entirely. Where the slotted bar 9 is Fused, the same construction may be used as shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to Fig. 11, in this drawing,

an alternative device for rotating the bristle carriers is shownconsisting of the rod 1", which has an inner end 3, preferably flattenedto occupy less space, which extends into a recess t, formed in thebottom of the body or frame and is loosely held therein. The outer endextends through a slot '11, in the end of the frame, and this slotengages a groove in the end of the rod, and thus the rod is capable ofhaving its ends 7 moved from side to side of the end of the frame, whilethe inner end remainspractically stationary, and thus an alternativemeans is provided for raising the bristles and locking them in positionwhen raised. When the cover is to be placed on the brush, the rod may bereadily returned from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 1 tothe position shown in full lines. It

may here be mentioned that the cover is preferably provided with alining v, of material such as celluloid or the like, for the purpose ofkeeping the same absolutely clean. This lining may be secured in thecover by any suitable means, such as the overlapping edges indicated inFig. 6.

Referring now to Figs. 14, 15, 16, I have here shown a form of thedevice in which the comb-receptacle is in the body of the brush.

This construction necessitates a different arrangement of locking-rod,as the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 11 could not operate,but would beblocked by the raised portion of the combreceptacle w. I thereforeprovide a lockingrod :13, pivotally secured to two swinging links (1 and2, respectively, these links'being pivoted to the bottom of the casing.It will thus be seen that this rod in moving from the position shown indotted lines, Fig. 13, to the position shown in full lines, willaccomplish the same object as the rods shown in Figs. 8 and 11. Ifdesired, this rod may be provided with a spring, or it may be operatedby hand when the cover is removed.

It will now be seen that I have devised an extremely useful articlewhich may be used as a brush and is also provided with a mirror, a comb,and a convenient handle, all combined in such a way as to be compact andrapidly adjustable for use.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a device of the class describedthe combination with a substantially box-shaped body having the sidesformed of a double thickness with an interior hollow portion, of thecross-pieces extending into slots formed in the inner portions of saidside pieces ,bars adapted to slide in between the walls of said hollowsides and support the ends of thepivotal rods, vertically-slottedresiliently-held bars fitting in the hollow portion in the side wallsand adapted to coact with the slotted walls to removably retain thepivotal rods in position as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a device of the class described. the combination with thesubstantially boxshaped body having the sides formed of a doublethickness with an interior hollow portion, of the cross-piecesextendinginto slots formed in the inner portions of said side pieces, barsadapted to slide in between the walls of said hollow sides and support"the ends of the pivotal rods, vertically-slotted bars slidablysupported on the top of said bars and adapted to coact Withthe slottedwalls to normally retain the pivotal rods in position, a springresiliently holding said rod in position and a button extending througha slot in the casing for moving the said slotted bar longitudinally andreleasing the crosspieces thereof as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with the body, ofthe crosspieces formed of sheet metal secured to suitable rods, saidcross-pieces each having one corner ohamfered off and curved upwardly,of a rod located in the bottom portion of the body in the space formedby said chamfered portions when the bristles and cross-pieces are turnedinto the desired position and means whereby said rod may be movedlaterally in relation to the body thereby engaging the chamfered cornersof the cross-pieces and forcing the bristles into the substantiallyvertical position as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a device of the class described the combination with the body, thecross-pieces rotatably mounted in the sides of the body and the bristlescarried thereby, of a rod located in the bottom of the body and springmeans for causing said rod to rotate the cross-pieces and bring and holdthem in an upright position therein as and for the pur pose specified.

Signed at Fort William, in the Province of Ontario, this 2d day of June,1905.

MELBURN HORACE TUPPER.

Witnesses:

J. HORACE NULAND, J. FRANK THOMSON.

